I don't think so. The "quad" designation is probably an American invention that is supposed to follow the Belgian designations of dubbel and tripel. This is just my theory, somebody else may have an absolute answer.

BJCP style guidelines for 16e" This category may be used as an “incubator” for recognized styles for which there is not yet a formal BJCP category. Some styles falling into this classification include:Blond Trappist table beerArtisanal BlondArtisanal AmberArtisanal BrownBelgian-style BarleywinesTrappist QuadrupelsBelgian Spiced Christmas BeersBelgian StoutBelgian IPAStrong and/or Dark SaisonFruit-based Flanders Red/Brown"

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---JJ---

I don't know half of you half as well as I should, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.- Bilbo Baggins

BJCP style guidelines for 16e" This category may be used as an “incubator” for recognized styles for which there is not yet a formal BJCP category. Some styles falling into this classification include:Blond Trappist table beerArtisanal BlondArtisanal AmberArtisanal BrownBelgian-style BarleywinesTrappist QuadrupelsBelgian Spiced Christmas BeersBelgian StoutBelgian IPAStrong and/or Dark SaisonFruit-based Flanders Red/Brown"

So, what is the difference then? You may have to enter your dark strong in the 16e specialty category if it falls outside of the OG/FG guidelines, but that's an American distinction and something they'd probably laugh at in Belgium.

You guys are brilliant! I'm also glad to know that I'm not completely silly for asking simple questions. I'm about to host a blind tasting. I thought that Belgian quad and belgian dark strong ale were the same beer, so I was going to provide an assortment from both. i recently brewed a dark belgian strong, and I was going to include it. What do you guys think? Stick with just DBS, or throw in some quads? And having said that, what 6 or so beers would you add to the sampling?

I sense that Belgian beers are like jazz. Most people who appreciate good beer know it's good. We get blonde vs dark, low abv vs high. Then there's other nuances, and knowledge to be gained. Then there is the swirling vortex of deep philosophical debate over terminology, which usually is reserved seating only by invitation.

I'm in the "me like Belgian styles" mob, as indicated by my love of Elysian Bete Blanche triple and Sierra Nevada Ovila quad. Both probably not true triple, quad, or Belgian.

I love this about beer. You can enjoy the miles davis of beers and not compromise your flatts and Scruggs roots.

Are quads sweeter? Gulden Draak is pretty sweet. Are their attenuation %'s lower? I think Southampton Abbot 12 and Gouden Carolas Grand Cru of the Emperor are lower than La Trappe Quad, which is only slightly lower then St B Abt 12, which is quite a bit lower than say Rochefort 10.

Fruitier? Rochefort beers are quite fruity. La Trappe comes across as different fruit, as do the Unibroue beers listed in 16E.

Lower carb or fuller body? Don't have enough spare liver cells to open all these simultaneously to compare. Perhaps a side project for NHC attendees to taste a bunch of BSDA/quad together?

I dunno...I'd like to see them all together honestly. I don't think I'd enter a strong dark belgian in 16E unless I had created a good clone of a well-known beer already listed there, or had created a Christmas-y/heavily spiced BDSA. Just my two cents.